BSS
  18 Nov 2024, 14:25
Update : 18 Nov 2024, 15:53

Pakistan skittled for 117 in final T20 against Australia

HOBART, Australia, Nov 18, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Aaron Hardie took three wickets 
as Pakistan crashed to a meagre 117 all out in the final game of their T20 
series against Australia at Hobart's Bellerive Oval on Monday.

The hosts have already wrapped up the series after winning a rain-hit match 
in Brisbane by 29 runs and then in Sydney by 13 runs.

After opting to bat, Pakistan were 62-1 before losing focus to be dismissed 
in the 19th over with Babar Azam top-scoring on 41.

Hardie took 3-21 while spinner Adam Zampa and quick Spencer Johnson grabbed 
two wickets each.

Pakistan opted to rest captain and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, with 
Sahibzada Farhan moving up the order to open with Azam.

But on a chilly evening, the partnership failed to fire with Farhan lasting 
just seven balls before top-edging a short one from Johnson -- fresh from 
taking five wickets in Sydney -- to Xavier Bartlett.

Azam produced a series of elegant strokes as he and Haseebullah Khan put on a 
quickfire 44 for the second wicket.

But Kahn was no match for Zampa's spin, collecting an outside edge on 24 to 
Matt Short.

Pakistan's woes mounted with Usman Khan (3) caught on the ropes after 
slogging Hardie and skipper Salman Agha trapped lbw by the same bowler for 
one.

It left them reeling on 72-4 at the halfway mark and when Zampa bowled Azam 
and Irfan Khan (10) was needlessly run out they were in deep trouble.

Shaheen Shah Afridi blasted the only six of the innings, but didn't last as 
the tailenders were mopped up.

A concern for Australia was Glenn Maxwell leaving the field midway through 
with an apparent left hamstring problem.